Suspect Arrested in Fatal Shooting of Rapper Nipsey Hussle, LAPD says

LOS ANGELES — A man suspected of killing rapper Nipsey Hussle over the weekend was arrested on Tuesday, according to the LAPD.

Nipsey Hussle was among four people standing by a car when gunfire erupted outside the rapper’s The Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles, video from a surveillance camera trained on the parking lot shows.

It is not clear which one is Nipsey, but the people appear to be talking. Others are milling about in front of the store. A figure dressed in dark clothing appears to approach the four and then everyone scatters.

Two of the people standing by the car don’t get far, however. They fall to the ground. One of them, wearing a white hat and shirt, appears to try to get back up but promptly collapses.

A suspect has been named in Nipsey’s shooting death, the Los Angeles Police Department announced Monday night after a memorial to the rapper ended in a stampede that injured multiple people, two critically.

Eric Holder, the suspected killer of Nipsey Hussle, has been arrested and is in police custody. Thank you to both our community for the heightened awareness/vigilance, and our partners at @LASDHQ. pic.twitter.com/0zujy89Yfm

Eric Holder, 29, is wanted for homicide, the LAPD announced early Tuesday.

Eric Holder, 29, is wanted for homicide, the LAPD announced early on April 2, 2019.

The Grammy-nominated artist was shot Sunday in the Hyde Park neighborhood.In a statement, police said Holder walked up to Nipsey and two other men as they stood outside a business in a strip mall on West Slauson Boulevard.

He fired multiple times and then ran to a nearby alley where a vehicle — “driven by an unidentified female” — was waiting for him, police said. Holder entered from the passenger side and the vehicle fled, authorities said.

“Anyone with information related to his whereabouts or this deadly shooting is urged to contact South Bureau Homicide at 323-786-5100.”

Officials treat injuries at Nipsey’s memorial, one person detained

On Monday night, a massive crowd gathered on the streets of south Los Angeles for a memorial to the rapper, which ended abruptly when multiple people were trampled and police — armed with riot gear and batons — began forming containment lines.

One police officer also was injured, police spokeswoman Meghan Aguilar said during a news briefing.

At one point, there was “mass panic and chaos” in the area, with about 300 people running from the location at once, she said. It is unclear what, if anything, caused the stampede.

The Los Angeles Fire Department transported 19 patients, a majority of them with “trample injuries,” the fire department said.

On the CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS live signal, some people were seen carrying others who appeared to be injured, as emergency officials worked on people on the ground.

Of the patients transported by the fire department, two had critical injuries and two had serious injuries. The others suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the fire department said. One person was injured in a collision with a car, the fire department said.

There were no gunshot wounds to any of the injured, the LAPD told CNN.

Aguilar said rocks and bottles were thrown at officers as the area was being cleared. At least one person has been detained for disorderly conduct, she said.

An entire community heartbroken

“We understand the community is mourning and we feel your loss,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a tweet Monday night. “We are asking for everyone to follow the officers directions and disperse from the immediate area. Our men and women are on scene and making every effort to protect everyone in attendance at the Nipsey Hussle vigil.”

Los Angeles County supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas called for “calm” following news of the rapper’s death.

“I urge calm and a period of reflection. Violent retaliation for this event will not be tolerated,” he said. “For healing to occur, even from this terrible incident, justice must be sought through legal means, and community peace must be found.”

He said Nipsey was “a father, businessman, entertainer, and inspiration to many.”

Beyond the massive crowd that banded to honor the rapper near where he died, hundreds more mourned across the nation, and emphasized the gaping hole that Nipsey’s death will leave on his community.

Last year, the rapper opened a workspace and science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, center that he described as a bridge between Silicon Valley and the inner city. He hoped it would help give more opportunities to young people.

LA Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff revealed on Twitter he was scheduled to meet at the rapper’s request to “talk about ways he could help stop gang violence and help us help kids.”

“(Nipsey Hussle) was doing great work for the people,” Colin Kaepernick said on Twitter. “Keep his legacy alive by carrying on his work.”

“We have done (Nipsey Hussle) wrong… he was sharing his purest self, his vision, and traits from his heritage with all of us: empowerment and a sense of community, something that many of us don’t have,” rapper Pusha T tweeted.

Nipsey Hussle’s career

In 2010, the 33-year-old artist, whose birth name was Ermias Davidson Asghedom, founded the record label All Money In, which he debuted with the release of “The Marathon,” the rapper’s fifth official mixtape. His 2013 “Crenshaw” release sold 1,000 copies, each priced at $100.

He made moves outside the music industry, too. Last year he launched the first Marathon Clothing smart store at 3420 W. Slauson Avenue in Los Angeles. He also owned The Marathon Agency, SC Commercial Ventures, Proud 2 Pay and All Money In No Money Out Records, according to Press Atlantic Records.

His Facebook page says he was a member of the Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips founded in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s.

His page lists Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur as some of his influences.

He was nominated for best rap album at this year’s Grammys, but lost to Cardi B.